1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to car engine cooling system. More specifically, the invention deals with a ring bracket-shroud assembly for supporting a cooling fan. Even more precisely, the present invention concerns a novel snap fit, fastenerless bracket-shroud mounting structure.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently in cars, cooling systems are used to lower the high temperature generated during engine operation. If the engine is not cooled, valves will burn and warp, lubricating oil will break down, pistons and bearing will overheat, and pistons will seize in the cylinders. The basic automobile cooling system components are a radiator with a plurality of tubes, a coolant pump, a system of passages and water jackets in the cylinder head and cylinder block through which the coolant circulates, and a fan. Specifically, the fan draws air over the outside surfaces of the radiator tubes and cools the coolant as it travels through them and thus rapidly dissipates the heat carried by the coolant. In addition to removing heat from the radiator, this flow of air also provides some direct air cooling of the engine.
Typically, the fan is mounted in a ring bracket which encloses and supports fan blades and its motor. In turn, the bracket is attached to a shroud. For this attachment to be done, the bracket has several pads, usually four, equally spaced around the perimeter of the bracket. Each pad typically includes a screw and washer for mounting the bracket to the shroud. It is not infrequent for some car models to have a pair of cooling fans and, respectively, a pair of ring brackets. Mounting the brackets on the shroud thus requires eight J-clips and eight screw and washer sets.
In the context of the above, a need exists in the art for means allowing for more simple, reliable and less labor consuming mounting structure for pre-assembling a fan ring bracket to a shroud.